Updated: 2/4/22 | February 4th, 2022

Incredible hostels are always hard to come by. On the road, you’ll have much more “this hostel was meh” moments than, “Wow! This hostel is amazing, I never want to leave!” moments.

Because hostels are much more than just the physical place.

I’ve stayed in dumps where I had fun because of the people I met.

And I’ve been to amazing, beautiful hostels that bored me to death.

Hostels are an atmosphere. It’s a combination of the facilities, staff, amenities, and people that make a hostel incredible.

While you can’t always predict the people, you can increase your odds of landing in a hostel that you never want to leave.

When searching for a good hostel, here is my guidance on what to consider when you look for your next on based on over a decade of experience staying in thousands of hostels all around the world:
 

1. less expensive is not always better

Budget travelers have a natural inclination to choose the most affordable thing around. However, don’t try to save a buck just to save a buck. very cheap hostels are often unclean, the beds uncomfortable, the showers dirty, and the pillows thin. Pay an extra dollar or two for nicer and cleaner digs. Your body will thank you.

Remember, it’s not about being cheap — it’s about getting value!
 

2. get breakfast

One thing I hate about hosteling in Europe is that breakfast is often toast, eggs, and coffee. and it begins at 7am (and ends early too)! I’m not sure who the travelers are that they know, but I’ve never known any to wake up that early, even for a good breakfast.

Look for a place with a good breakfast (i.e., much more than toast) or at least one that begins and ends when people are actually awake (breakfasts that start around 8am typically go late). breakfast is also a great way to load up on snacks for the rest of the day, thereby cutting down your food budget.

This isn’t a deal-breaker guideline for me but I think it’s essential for a hostel to have breakfast if they have the kitchen space for it.

Also, keep an eye out for places that have other totally free food perks, such as totally free coffee/tea all day or totally free dinners. Not only are these good for saving money but they make the hostel much more social.
 

3. get a late check out

Never stay at a hostel with a checkout time before 10am. the best hostels have 11am checkout times, and the really good ones let you check out at noon. sleep is important on the road because you’ll rarely get enough of it. Hostels with late checkout times understand this and are often much more unwinded and chiller environments. There’s just something wrong about a hostel asking you to be packed and out so early in the morning.

On the flip side of this, I like hostels that have flexible check-ins. numerous don’t let you check-in before 2 pm, but I like the ones that say “OK, the bed is ready. come in now!” (I wish much more hostels did that.)
 

4. Push-button showers

I typically say no to push-button showers. They are annoying and often have no water pressure. The water turns off mid-soaping and it is a bit of a hassle to deal with. Historically, my guideline has been that if a hostel has a push-button shower, I don’t stay there.

I don’t take long showers — and I don’t think you ought to either — because it’s essential to conserve water but, man, a push-button shower is annoying!

As a general rule, keep an eye on the reviews for shower information. numerous hostels around the world don’t have hot water (or have limited hot water). Water pressure can also be an issue, so make sure you know what to expect!
 

5. Lockers

It’s surprising, but I’ve actually been in hostels that don’t have lockers — or they have them but they charge you for them. In this day and age, lockers ought to be standard. You ought to never pay for security. This is a deal-breaker for me, especially because I travel with electronics. If you’re not sure about the locker situation, scan through the hostel’s reviews to see what people say. always better to be safe than sorry!

This is a dealbreaker for me. No locker = no stay. just don’t forget to bring a lock with you!
 

6. totally free Internet

While the Internet isn’t a should for all travelers, a hostel with totally free Wi-Fi is always a plus. While many hostels in the world have Wi-Fi these days, numerous still only have Wi-Fi in certain rooms (like the lobby or common room). Make sure you know what to expect before you book.

Also, as a general guideline I would avoid using any totally free computer terminals as you can never be sure if there is any malware or harmful spyware on the computer. For basic surfing the web, sure, dive in! but I wouldn’t use them for things like email, banking, or social media.

If you’re connecting to totally free Wi-Fi with your own smartphone or laptop use a VPN to keep your data private (especially if you’re doing any online banking).
 

7. A barBars are not a deal-breaker, and there are a lot of fantastic hostels without them, but they make for a great place to socialize with other hostel guests. Usually, if a hostel has a bar, they put a strong emphasis on making sure the people staying there are having fun, interacting, and being festive.

If they don’t have a bar, make sure they host activities and events to get people together. Hostels are about a social atmosphere. If you want a place where no one interacts, stay at a hotel!
 

8. common area

If the hostel doesn’t have a bar, it ought to have a big common area (ideally it has both). the best hostels are the ones that give travelers a place to hang out and socialize with each other. common areas facilitate interaction and help solo travelers have an simpler time meeting people. the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at always had an amazing common area.

Keep an eye out for common rooms with board games, video games, a TV/movies/Netflix, instruments, and pool tables. Anything that can bring people together and help break the ice!
 

9. organized activities

Really good hostels also organize activities such as walking tours, yoga classes, bar crawls, BBQs, or anything else that gets people together. check out what is provided before you book to make sure it’s the kind of place for you. Additionally, make sure you know what activities are totally free and what are paid.

Also, do they have totally free equipment to use like bikes, snorkeling gear, surfboards, etc.? totally free equipment will save you money and make it simpler to hang out with other travelers.

 

10. well-informed staff

Employees make any business, and when I find the staff of hostels helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly, I like that place a lot better. A hostel is like a home, and you want the people there to welcome you like a long-lost family member. I never understood why hostels don’t recognize that being a hostel is not about being a cheap place to stay, it’s about creating a warm environment.
 

11. Location, location, location

Where a hostel is located will have a huge effect on your experience. If you have to spend an hour on public transportation just getting to and from your hostel each time you go into town, you’ll end up wasting a lot of your travel time. the best hostels are close to the action, so you can just step out your door and into an adventure. That, or the hostels are so remote that just staying there is an experience in and of itself. but just inconveniently on the outskirts of town? That’s just inconvenient.

Before you book, check out the address on Google Maps and see where it is in relation to the things you want to see and do. You didn’t travel around the world to spend your time commuting!
 

12. Is it for digital nomad or backpackers?

As much more and much more people shift to remote work, hostels have started to accommodate long-term travelers who work on their laptops. If you’re a remote worker, these hostels are great places to stay as they have fast Wi-Fi and make it easy to connect and network with other digital nomads. However, if you’re not working online while traveling, avoid these hostels. Instead, stay at a hostel that caters to travelers like you. It will be much much more pleasurable and you’ll have an simpler time meeting people.

***
A hostel doesn’t need to have every one of these things I listed, but it ought to have the majority of them. A hostel without the majority of these things doesn’t understand who its guests are or what they want. I get that a lot of different people come through hostels with a broad variety of needs. A hostel doesn’t need to be perfect. I’d like a clean kitchen, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Dorm room doesn’t lock? That’s what a locker is for.

Hostel showers are always dirty, which is why I wear flip-flops in them. I’m not searching for a 5-star resort, just basic security, and comfort.

What makes hostels great are the people, and even the worst hostels will be great if you meet good people. but removing the people from the equation, I look for hostels that have some of the above qualities in them. Hostels that know what you want as a traveler are there to enhance your travel experience, not simply take money from you in exchange for a bed. I would rather stay at a place that is wanting to make sure I have a good time.

And to find these places? I read up! When I’m picking hostels, I look at user reviews, pictures, amenities, and star ratings on sites like Hostelworld.

See what your fellow travelers say.

The consensus is going to be pretty spot on.

Pick the hostel that the majority of travels agree is awesome. nine times out of ten you won’t be disappointed!
 

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Book Your Trip: Logistical suggestions and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will safeguard you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s extensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it numerous times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

SafetyWing (best for everyone)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Ready to book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

There was a tired silence lingering inside the van as we pressed our heads on the window. silently we admired the view. as we drove from Sagada to Banaue. The road to Banaue from Sagada is long and winding, but none of us complained about the travel time — even though our butts were starting to catch fire. The hills, the hillsides, and the terraced hillsides; the mountains, the mountaintops, and the terraced mountaintops; the cliffs, the valleys, and the rivers that run across.

When our van stopped for the first time since we left Sagada, we thought we were already in Banaue but our driver was quick to crush our false assumptions. “We’re in Bontoc,” he announced. “There’s something you might want to take a good look at.”

We hopped out of the van one by one and saw what our driver was referring to — Bay-yo Rice Terraces. Although not as big as the Banaue Rice Terraces, Bay-yo is still a stunner. To be honest, it actually looked more appealing than any of the terraces I had seen so far. perhaps it was because of the fact that there were no houses that stand in the middle of the terraces. The houses were all on one side of the cliff and the terraces, on the other.

Because it is called Bay-yo Rice Terraces, we easily assumed that the crops planted here are rice but one of the locals there said that they sometimes plant vegetables. and not too far from the viewpoint is a lane veggie stores.

That’s our driver purchasing veggies!
Silence once again dominated when we hopped back into the van. nothing could be heard but the soft rumbling of the van’s engine and the whisper of the wind as it ruffled our hair and touched our faces, and the mild snoring of a friend who had slept the entire trip out. but together, they created a hypnotic symphony, a lullaby.

And then silence was broken.

Everybody sitting on the left side of the van let out shouts of excitement and urged the driver to stop the vehicle at once. There was a lush rainforest carpeting one side of the mountain. A thin sheet of mist danced over it. and when they parted, they revealed a waterfall, a stunning waterfall cascading in all its splashy glory.

Truly enchanting falls!
Until now, we don’t know what this waterfall is called, but it sure is a marvelous sight! It is somewhere between Bontoc and Banaue. We have asked around and posted this on my social media channels hoping someone would give me the name of this waterfall but I have yet to find out. regardless of its name, this moment would remain one of the most unforgettable I have had on the road.

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CAVE CONNECTION: Next-Level Spelunking in Sagada, Philippines

The biggest buzzkill in our Tacloban-Marabut trip was the rain. On our third day — when we were scheduled to tour Tacloban City — it rained the hardest. So hard that we had to spend a couple of hours more at Caluwayan beach resort until it became a bit tolerable. When it did, we rode a van to Tacloban City.

But the weather in Tacloban was no better. If anything, it was worse. We had to drop our plan of getting off at the foot of the San Juanico Bridge for a camwhoring session. We went straight to a restaurant for brunch and waited for the skies to get better. It never did.

Braving the rain, we decided to start our City tour at a place indoor and the first thing that entered our confused heads was the Santo Niño Shrine.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

About the Santo Niño Shrine (Romualdez Museum)
Where to stay in TaclobanSearch for more Tacloban Hotels!

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About the Santo Niño Shrine (Romualdez Museum)

The Santo Niño is probably one of the first to come to mind when Tacloban is mentioned. It is the patron saint of the city and many of its people’s religious events revolve around the Santo Niño.

Although the real miraculous image can be found inside the Sto. Nino Church, there is another image that can be found inside the Romualdez museum. this one is made of Italian ivory and is the centerpiece of the altar that welcomes the guests visiting the Shrine. beside the Sto. Niño were icons of St. Remedios and St. Vincent. next to the latter is a monstrance, decorated with diamonds. That section of the museum is lit by stunning chandeliers hanging above rows of pews made of narra.

When we arrived at the museum, we were greeted by the staff member who got so concerned about us dripping from the rain. After a short conversation (where we were from, why we braved the rain, etc), we decided to enter the place and pay. rate is P200 for a tour (at most 6 people). since we were a group of 3, we paid around P67 per person. If you wish to bring a camera, you will also have to pay an additional amount.

Guests are required to take off shoes and put on provided slippers. After explaining each items at the altar, we started checking out the 12 guest rooms surrounding the “chapel.” That is where the Santo Niño connection stops and everything is somehow about another thing that comes to mind when Tacloban is brought up — Imelda Marcos.

The Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage museum is one of the many rest houses that the Marcoses had built. It houses 7 bedrooms built for the members of the Marcos family, 13 guest rooms, a ballroom and what looked like conference rooms. Each room is magnificently designed and decorated. Each with a theme. Each with a diorama of the life story of Imelda. The site is also littered with numerous expensive, even priceless, pieces of art that will introduce your jaws to the floor each time. From imported furniture to local artworks, the place just screams magnificence, loud and clear.

After the tour, we did not know how to feel about it. It was remarkable to see such stunning artifacts, such delicate intricacies, such works of art. but the whole place was like a symbol of grandeur, of power, of excess. We left with hearts heavier than the rain outside.

Where to stay in Tacloban

Here are some of the top rated hotels on Agoda.

Hotel XYZ (provided by Agoda)

Ironwood Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅

Hotel XYZ. check rates & Availability! ✅

Bamboo garden boutique Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅

Z Pad Residences. check rates & Availability! ✅

Hotel Estrella. check rates & Availability! ✅

The Ambassador Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅

Search for more Tacloban Hotels!

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TOP 15 BATANGAS beach RESORTS + travel Requirements

Over the 5 years that we’ve spent travelling the world, we’ve figured out some pretty vital tricks to saving ourselves money while booking our travels online. Whether heading out on a quick holiday or a one year trip around the world, these suggestions can save you thousands of dollars (yes… thousands) on automobile rental, hotel reservations and flight bookings made online. These hacks are so good in fact, that you’re going to wish that you read this short article sooner. This may sound like a lot of hype, so let’s show it and get started!

Hotel Booking Hacks

Never book another hotel room without utilizing these amazing hacks below. The web can be an remarkable place to find discounts on hotel rooms, if you know how and where to look.

1. book early From Booking.com

Usually we don’t recommend booking from booking.com because we’ve found that they typically have significant fees. but if you can book early (think 2 – 3 months in advance), then you can find some amazing discounts on this site. We booked a couple of stunning apartments in Greece for just $20 – $25 / night because we reserved them 6 weeks before we arrived!

2. call The hotel / Hostel instead Of Booking Online

There are numerous reasons why this hack is a good one. Firstly, even though it may show that the hotel is fully booked online, there are typically rooms that they don’t post on the internet. Google their contact info and give them a call. Not only can you in some cases get into hotels that are fully booked, but you’ll also avoid those pesky booking engine fees that can be upwards of 20% / night!

3. Ask To See multiple Rooms

Okay, so this one doesn’t exactly “save” you money, but if you’ve been to as numerous hotels as us, you’ll know that the hotel manager typically tries to pawn off the less desirable rooms first. You’d be impressed at how much better the room down the hall can be for the exact same price! Don’t just accept those keys… have a look around.

4. ask for discounts For longer Stays

Even if you’re only staying for 3 or 4 nights, speak with the hotel manager and ask about a discount. I can’t count the number of times we’ve received a totally free night’s stay just because we asked.

Flight Booking Hacks

We’ve literally saved thousands of dollars over the years from employing these easy hacks that are easy to use and available to everyone. The first trick on this list is by far the most important, so take notes!

5. clear Your Browser’s Cache

If you take one thing away from this article, this is the hack that ought to stick in your mind. have you ever discovered that when you’re checking flight costs day after day, trying to find a terrific deal, the flights always seem to get much more expensive, so you rapidly hit the “buy” button to ease your mind. Well this isn’t a coincidence. flight booking engines and airline sites save cookies in your browser, which means… they know that you’ve been coming back for more. They will jack up the price as much as 25% to get you to buy, and if you pay that escalated price that you’re only seeing because you’ve returned to the site too numerous times, you’re S.O.L. There’s no way to take it back.

Luckily there’s a easy trick to save you hundreds of dollars. simply clear your browser cache and search again. To do this, head to your browser settings and click the “clear cache” button and then re-search. Don’t believe us? check out this recent flight booking we made to Cuba, we saved $125 USD each from one click of a button.

Top: After Clearing Cache / Bottom: before Clearing Cache (Seems criminal doesn’t it?)
Note: Clearing the cache is different for every browser, here are instructions for the most common ones:

Google Chrome

Internet Explorer

Firefox

Safari

6. book At The best Time

According to a recent study conducted by CheapAir.com, the optimal time to book your flight is 48 days (about 7 weeks) before your proposed departure date. There is a lot of argument surrounding this little trick, but CheapAir’s study was pretty extensive and from experience I can say that I agree with the results.

7. book flight & Hotel

Have you ever discovered on big booking sites like Expedia.com and Kayak, you can choose to book your flight with a hotel? Did you also know that by clicking this tab, you can access secret savings that are not available to those who only book their flight without accommodation? On a recent sample booking we conducted on a flight from Vancouver to Bangkok, we saved over $100 on the flight cost by including a hotel in the booking. and you can choose a low-cost hotel and only stay one night as well. These aresubstantial savings.

8. use The Multi-City Tab

If you head to Kayak.com, you’ll notice that they have a small tab for “Multi-City” bookings. This little tab recently saved us over $200 each on our flights to Cuba. If you are planning to book multiple flights from multiple cities, use this tab instead of booking each lag separately.

Example: We needed to fly from Guatemala City to Havana, then Havana to Costa Rica. When we booked these flights separately they totalled $938. Reserving it using the Multi-City tab only cost us $710! That’s a savings of $218 USD per person! use this trick if you’re planning multiple flights within a couple of months time.

9. book With Your best rewards credit report Cards

As Canadians, we don’t have as good of credit report cards as they have in the US, but we can still earn some pretty useful points when booking online.  If you’re American, you can check out Nomadic Matt’s site for some terrific travel hacking tips.

10. book On A Wednesday

That’s best everyone, hit the skies on hump day for the best deals on airfare. It has long been known that Wednesday is the most affordable day of the week to book flights. Of course this doesn’t apply to every flight with every airline, but on average, Wednesday is the most affordable day to fly.

11. use the best Booking Engine

In the past, we were substantial proponents of FareCompare.com, but over the past few years we’ve found some sites that we think are better. In our experience, the best fares are typically found on Kayak.com, Cheapoair.com and Expedia.com. (It ought to be noted that we are NOT being paid to endorse any companies in this article, we’re simply noting the ones that have the best fares).

12. search the Fare, Not The Destination

Feeling spontaneous? use Kayak’s explore tool to search for flights within your budget. want to fly somewhere for under $300? Input your maximum amount and Kayak will open a map with all flights that meet your criteria.

Car Booking Hacks

Don’t book a rental automobile until you’ve read these hacks. They’ll save you substantial money and they are very easy to employ. We’ve saved upwards of 50% off of our rental costs by shopping smart and using the tricks below.

13. deny The costly Collision Insurance

Before you gasp an discuss how irresponsible this sounds, hear me through. many major credit report card companies come equipped with extensive collision insurance. That’s right, it’s built best into your credit report card. next time you book a automobile online, use a credit report card that includes insurance (most do) and save up to $15 / day on your rental! many likely if you’ve rented a automobile on your credit report card in the past and paid for crash insurance, you didn’t have to… sorry.

Note: Some countries have mandatory liability insurance that some cards won’t cover. This typically costs around $12 / day and it is unavoidable if enforced by local law. However, this is basic insurance and you ought to still deny the collision insurance as you are covered for that on your credit report card.

14. use A search Engine To book Your Car

If you head straight to budget Rentals website, you may not be accessing all of the discounts that you can receive with your rental. try using a service like CarHire3000.com to book your rental automobile and find substantial savings. You can also book on Expedia and you don’t pay a cent until you receive the car.

UPDATE 2015: We just rented a automobile with Expedia in Costa Rica and when we arrived, they had tacked on liability insurance and a $50 drop-off fee that didn’t show up on our Expedia booking. This is common practice with Expedia and rental companies so BEWARE!

15. book Long-Term

If you book for a week or more, you can get the cost of your rental down significantly. When we booked our automobile in South Africa through CarHire3000.com (again, not sponsored), we paid just $20 / day including insurance (yes, we paid for insurance because we hadn’t read this post before booking). short-term rentals can be as much as $40 / day, so that’s half price if you book long-term.

16. avoid Pick-up At The Airport

Of course it’s convenient to get off of your flight and head best behind the wheel, but the automobile rental shops that are located in the airport typically have significant service fees. You could end up paying $10 less / day just by walking down the street, or taking a cab into town and renting from another location.

17. Return The automobile With A full Tank

If the receptionist at your rentalstore says: “you can return it empty and we’ll just fill it up”, he or she is actually saying: “Go ahead, return it empty and we’ll charge your credit report card triple the going rate for gas”. That’s right, practically all automobile rental companies will charge upwards of $3 / litre for gas if they have to fill it up themselves. always return the automobile with a full tank.

18. book The automobile With A Flight

Similar to the “Flight & Hotel” tab that you see on many online booking sites, there is also the “Flight & Car” tab. This will give you access to the same remarkable flight discounts as the “Flight & Hotel” trick that we talked about earlier in this post. Go ahead… give it a try.

Hacks That work For All Bookings

No matter what you’re booking online, try these hacks and view the savings add up.

19. search For discount coupon Codes

Next time you’re booking something online, ANYTHING online, look for that nifty little box that says “Promo Code”, “Promotional Code”, “Coupon Code” or whatever phrasing that looks like it may save you money if you type in a password. Run a Google search for what you’re booking (ie: “Kayak.com promotion Code April 2015”) and see what comes up. There are times when we’ve saved 50% off online purchases using this easy little hack.

20. always try multiple Booking Sites

This is especially true of flights, but it really works for all of your online bookings. If you find one price on Kayak.com, also check Fare Compare, Expedia, Booking.com, trip Advisor…. everything! I wouldn’t waste too much time searching around (time is money after all), but spend a few minutes and see what you find. We’ve probably saved a few thousand dollars over the years just because we know where to look and we shop around.

21. check The price In multiple Currencies

Not all sites convert currencies in the same way. Did you ever notice that everything is less expensive if you purchase it on Amazon.com rather than Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.ca? The same principle can apply on booking sites and airline websites. test the booking in different currencies and see which one is the best conversion when compared to your dollar.

Hint: test a booking in the website’s local currency and then convert it to your own. This is typically the most affordable price. (example: Air Asia is based in Malaysia, so check prices in Malaysian Ringgit)

Now You Can book With Confidence

Next time you’re surfing the web, anxiously hunting for the best price, use these 21 hacks and we guarantee you that you’ll save a lot of money. I can’t think of how much we’ve saved over the years by using these tricks, but I’m sure that we lost thousands before we knew about them as well. hopefully you’ll find these hacks as helpful as we have over the years.

Happy booking!

Surely we missed some helpful hacks! Please share your preferred money-saving suggestions in the comments below and help other travellers to save big money online.

Like it? Pin it! ?

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This implies we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

Last Updated: 1/4/21 | January 4th, 2021

New Zealand is an easy country to navigate. Buses go everywhere, automobiles constantly pick up hitchhikers, campervans are easy to rent, and backpacker bus tours zigzag around the country.

Plus, there are trains and planes.

In short, there’s no shortage of transportation options.

On my last trip to new Zealand, I used almost every one of these options. Today, I want to share the pros and cons of each (as well as some estimated prices) so you know how to get around new Zealand in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible!
 

Backpacker Tours

One of the most popular ways travelers get across new Zealand is by backpacker bus. These buses offer a hop-on/hop-off service that allows travelers both the flexibility to go at their own pace and the convenience of having activities and accommodation organized for them. new Zealand has two major hop-on/hop-off buses: The Kiwi Experience and Stray.

The Kiwi Experience – The Kiwi Experience is the biggest and most popular backpacker bus in new Zealand. It attracts mainly young gap-year travelers. I like how they go out of their way to make sure everyone socializes and gets to know each other: the drivers play a lot of games and icebreakers, and there are group dinners most nights. The downside is that: (a) the buses seat around 55 people, and when they’re full, they get a little bit cliquey (and during the busy season, the bus is pretty much always full); and (b) the passengers are really focused on getting drunk (the bus’s affectionate nickname is “The green Fuck Bus”), hence why so many young people take it. I’d say if you’re 25 or younger (or just looking for a party), this bus is for you. tours range from 2-28 days and cost between 85-1,799 NZD per person.

Stray travel – stray has smaller buses, providing a more intimate setting and making it easier to meet people. While there are many gap-year travelers on the bus, stray get more older, independent travelers. The bus drivers don’t play as many games or have as many icebreakers, making it a bit awkward when you first step on the bus alone and aren’t an extrovert. If you aren’t really looking to party a lot or want to spend time with more mature travelers, stray is for you. tours range from 10-24 days and cost between 1,000-2,400 NZD per person.

For a small-group tours that caters to more than just the backpacker crowd, check out Haka Tours. They offer some epic adventure tours all around the country and are a good choice for travelers looking to get their adrenaline pumping.
 

Trains

New Zealand has three train lines: northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific, and TranzAlpine. These are not commuter trains but scenic train rides: they come with viewing platforms, audio commentary, information packets, and big windows for taking photos.

Here are some example prices (in NZD):

Route

Adult (One-Way)

Child (One-Way)

Northern Explorer
(Auckland-Wellington)

159

79

Coastal Pacific
(Christchurch-Picton)

99

69

TranzAlpine
(Christchurch-Greymouth)

109

76

 
Prices will vary based on when you book. expect prices to be upwards of 50% more expensive if booked last minute.

I took the TranzAlpine across the South Island. It had been a dream of mine to do since my first check out in 2010 and I loved every minute of it. It lived up to all the hype. You pass rivers and mountains, cross gorges, and roll through vibrant green farmland. It was a really peaceful, informative, and scenic way to get across the South Island and made me wish there were more trains around the country (come on, NZ, you can do it!).

This isn’t the most efficient or cheapest way to get around (heck, the northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington is 11 hours!) but it’s worth every penny. It’s an incredibly scenic way to see the country.

 

Buses

If you aren’t renting a car, buses are the best and cheapest way to get around new Zealand. Buses stop in every town, and there are frequent departures from even the smallest cities.

InterCity, new Zealand’s largest public bus network, is your main option. skip Bus, a low-cost coach bus similar to Megabus, is available on the North Island and has over a dozen stops, making it another budget-friendly choice if you’re shopping for tickets. (Note: as of January 2021, skip Bus service is suspended due to COVID-19).

These are some example InterCity ticket costs for sample routes to help you budget (prices in NZD):

Routes (One-Way)

Last-Minute Booking

Advanced Booking

Christchurch-Picton

81

61

Christchurch-Queenstown

115

57

Auckland-Wellington

76

46

Auckland-Taupo

70

42

Franz Josef-Wanaka

55

35

Auckland-Rotorua

58

32

Auckland-Bay of Islands

43

29

Taupo-Wellington

78

57

Prices exclude booking fees.

InterCity has two travel passes, both of which valid for up to 12 months: FlexiPass, an hours-based bus pass (10-80 hours) designed for backpackers and independent travelers; and the TravelPass, a fixed-route pass that’s only good for spots on that specific route.

The FlexiPass costs between 98-561 NZD ($69-395 USD). You can top up your hours if you run out. The TravelPass costs between 125-549 NZD ($88-386 USD).

With the InterCity TravelPass, you can stop anywhere along the route. For example, if your pass includes travel between Picton and Christchurch, you could do Picton to Blenheim, Blenheim to Kaikoura, and Kaikoura to Christchurch all on one trip.

I bought a 15-hour FlexiPass. adding up my journeys on the South Island individually, the price of my tickets would have been 172 NZD. I paid 135 NZD so the pass did save me money. However, there’s a caveat: you can only use the FlexiPass on InterCity buses, and on the South Island they contract out a lot of routes, so I couldn’t use my pass on most of the routes to Milford Sound, Mt. Cook, or Bluff (to get to Stewart Island).

So what’s a traveler to do?

If you’re booking far in advance and getting the low-cost discount fares, don’t buy a pass. I’d also skip the big fixed-route pass, as they don’t offer value when compared to other giant passes or tour operators.

I’d buy a FlexiPass since it is hours-based and valid for up to twelve months. combine that with other low-cost tickets bought far in advance, ridesharing, or anything else. mix and match what you do for optimal savings. use the pass for expensive routes and cheaper options for other, shorter routes!
 

Flying

Flying in new Zealand isn’t that cheap, as there are only two companies that dominate the entire market: Air new Zealand and Jetstar — and on most routes, it’s just Air new Zealand. While you can find some low-cost fares on shorter routes or by booking a few months in advance, unless you are really pressed for time or traveling from island to island, I’d skip flying.

Here are prices for some popular one-way routes when booked in advance (prices in NZD):

Routes (One-Way)

Air NZ

Jetstar

Auckland-Queenstown

65

44

Auckland-Christchurch

98

41

Auckland-Wellington

60

39

Queenstown-Christchurch

49

163

Queenstown-Wellington

54

49

Christchurch-Wellington

50

35

Auckland-Queenstown

71

52

 

Campervans and automobile Rentals

Campervans litter new Zealand, especially on the nature-heavy South Island, where people hike and camp, because they serve as accommodation and transportation all in one, and for budget-conscious travelers, that’s a win-win. There are five main rental agencies:

Jucy

Travellers Autobarn

Spaceships

Britz

Wicked Campers

Jucy is the most dominant in the country; I saw more of its automobiles and vans than any other company.

Prices vary a lot. Your daily rate will change depending on where you pick the vehicle up, if you are dropping it off at a different place, how long you are renting it for, how far in advance you book, and when you book (going during the high season? prices seem to double!). You need a degree in accounting to figure out how these companies price their cars!

Here are sample daily rates for when you pick up and drop-off at the same location (prices in NZD):

Rental Type

Jucy

Wicked

Spaceships

Britz

Traveller’s Autobarn

Car

29/day
for a week
25/day
for a month

23/day

N/A

N/A

44/day
for a week
33/day
for a month

2-Person
Camper

50/day
for a week
46/day
for a month

38/day
for a week
26/day
for a month

46/day
for a week
37/day
for a month

170/day
for a week
145/day
for a month

86/day
for a week
45/day
for a month

3-Person
Camper

140/day
for a week
130/day
for a month

N/A

84/day
for a week
78/day
for a month

159/day
for a week
132/day
for a month

104/day
for a week
75/day
for a month

4-5-Person
Camper

120/day
for a week
111/day
for a month

N/A

N/A

170/day
for a week
142/day
for a month

131/day
for a week
80/day
for a month

 
Here are sample daily rates for when you pick up and drop-off at a different location:

Rental Type

Jucy

Wicked

Spaceships

Britz

Traveller’s Autobarn

Car

29/day
(when booked
for a month)

23/day

N/A

N/A

49/day
for 10 days
33/day
for a month

2-Person
Camper

47/day
(when booked
for a month)

38/day
for a week
26/day
for a month

46/day
for a week
37/day
for a month

262/day
for a week
185/day
for a month

71/day
for 10 days
45/day
for a month

3-Person
Camper

130/day
(when booked
for a month)

N/A

78/day
for a week
84/day
for a month

160/day
for a week
132/day
for a month

104/day
for 10 days
60/day
for a month

4-5-Person
Camper

111/day
(when booked
for a month)

N/A

N/A

172/day
for a week
145/day
for a month

120/day
for 10 days
73/day
for a month

 
If you drive, getting a campervan is going to be one of the most economical way to get around. You’ll be able to use your van/car as accommodation, pick up travelers to split the cost of gas, and maybe find travel partners to split the cost of the vehicle itself. If you are spending $70 NZD per day for a Jucy campervan that can fit three people, that’s a savings of up to 50% compared to a hosteland daily bus ride, which will set you back $30-50 a day.

If you use a campervan, be sure to download the amazing CamperMate app, which lets you find nearby campsites, gas stations, and dump stations.
 

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is easy in new Zealand. It’s one of the main ways to get around and there are plenty of people who will pick you up (if you’re traveling solo or with someone. groups bigger than 2 people will struggle to find a ride).

Additionally, you can just ask around any hostel for a ride — everyone is doing the same circuit and will be happy to have another person to split gas costs with. Hostels usually have boards where you can find rideshare offers as well. I hitchhiked from Wanaka to Queenstown to Fiordland on a whim and didn’t have any trouble (I saw tons of other backpackers doing the same thing as well).

Additionally, check out the Thumbs Up NZ or Carpool new Zealand ridesharing apps.

***
There are a lot of ways to get around new Zealand. If you’re ok driving, rent a automobile or campervan. Don’t want to drive? Bus it or get rides with other travelers — someone is always looking to split the cost of gas!

No matter what, you’re not going to have trouble getting from point A to B, even if you wake up and need carry that very day! new Zealand is an easy country to travel and, with some planning, it doesn’t have to break the bank!

Book Your trip to new Zealand: Logistical tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a low-cost flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and low-cost hotels. My favorite places to stay are:

Nomads (Queenstown)

Urbanz (Christchurch)

Rainbow Lodge (Taupo)

If you’re looking for more places to stay, here is a complete list of my favorite hostels in new Zealand.

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Looking for the best companies to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want more information on new Zealand?
Be sure to check out our robust destination guide on new Zealand for even more planning tips!

Published: 07/26/18 | July 26th, 2018

London. The big Smoke. It’s a sprawling city, covering 607 square miles and home to over eight million people.

In fact, London is really a collection of cities. The City of London (aka “The City”) is just 1.1 square miles (and the site of old Roman Londinium). everything we think of as London today is actually other cities (Westminster, Camden, etc.) that “The City” gobbled up over the years. (Fun fact: The West and east ends of London are so named because they were outside the ancient wall that enclosed London.)

My like for London turned into love on my many recent visit last month. maybe it was the beautiful weather that stood in stark contrast to my other visits, maybe it was the people who I all of a sudden felt bonded with, maybe it was all the good restaurants and bars I found. maybe it just took a decade of visits for the city to just “click” with me. maybe it was all of it. I don’t know.

But now I’m head over heels for the city!

With so much to see and do, London can seem like an overwhelming place, so in today’s post I want to share my suggested one-week schedule for a visit to London that takes you along — and off — the beaten traveler path:

What to See and do in London: Day 1

Take a totally free walking trip – start your first day off with a totally free walking trip to orient yourself and learn about the history of London. London is pretty damn big and hard to see much of in just a few hours, so many walking trips simply focus on a small area of the city. here are my favorite totally free walking trip companies:

Free trips by Foot – I’ve taken this company’s nyc tours, so when I found out they had a London version, I was thrilled. some of the best are the Westminster, Harry Potter, Soho, ghost, and street art tours. many walks last two to two and a half hours.

Free London walking trips – This tiny company provides totally free walks from a few older British chaps that have an air of a university professor. They tell silly jokes but are very well-informed about the most arcane facts of London history. Be sure to check out their “Fire, Pestilence, and Plague” and “Debauched London” tours. Each lasts two hours.

New Europe walking trips – This company has totally free walking trips all over Europe. They are sort of the “backpacker tours,” as many hostels in town heavily promote them, so you see mostly young travelers on their walks. They are good for a broad historical summary of the city. trips last about three hours.

Pick a neighborhood and wander – London is a great city to just walk around in. You can follow the ancient Roman wall (part of the wall still exists and so does an old Roman amphitheater, which was rediscovered in the 1980s) from the Tower of London through the center of the city. The city maintains a series of panels about the wall and the history of the city along the way.

There are a couple of app-based options too. visit London has a totally free app that lets you create customized maps and itineraries that you can use offline.

For much more extensive paid tours, check out get Your Guide. They have a ton of different trips for all interests and budgets!

Relax in a park – after all that walking on the first day (trust me, it’s worth it), chill out in any one of the city’s numerous parks:

St. James’ Park (Westminster)

Green Park (Westminster/Central London)

Regent’s Park (Camden Town)

Kensington gardens (Kensington)

Hyde Park (Central London)

Holland Park (Holland Park)

Battersea Park (Battersea)

Hang in Soho – I love Soho. It has cute little parks, world-class restaurants, lots of popular bars, funky bookstores, beautiful buildings, and everything in between. I recommend you spend your evening (or numerous evenings) here eating and drinking and hanging out with the locals. Some recommended places:

Ceviche Soho – great Peruvian food. 17 Frith Street

Flat Iron – easy menu featuring steak and salad and a daily special. That’s it! At £10, it’s a steal. 9 Denmark street and 17 Beak Street

La Bodega Negra – amazing Mexican food. 16 Moor Street

Eat Tokyo – delicious ramen. 16 Old Compton Street

The London Gin Club – the best gin London can offer! 22 great chapel Street

Three Greyhounds – A fun conventional pub. fun story: I ended up drinking with Rami Malek from Mr. Robot! He was nice. 25 Greek Street

What to See and do in London: Day 2

Soak in art and culture at a museum – Take advantage of London’s hundreds of museums and overload on history, art, strange oddities, and everything in between. some of them are so big you can barely see them in a week, let alone a day! here are some of the bigger ones to start with:

British museum – By far one of the best in all of Europe, this huge museum houses one of the most extensive art, cultural, and historical collections in the world. Be sure to budget at least three hours to get a good sense of the museum, though you could easily spend a whole day there. great Russell St. +44 20 7323 8299. britishmuseum.org. open daily 10am-5:30pm.

National Gallery – This art museum was founded in 1824 and houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to around 1900. There are works by Johannes Vermeer, Sandro Botticelli, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo, among numerous more! It’s a really comprehensive and fantastic art museum. Trafalgar Square. +44 20 7747 2885. nationalgallery.org.uk. open daily 10am-6pm.

City of London museum – I love this museum. It gives you a comprehensive summary of London’s history and has an outstanding exhibit on the great fire of 1666. 150 London Wall. +44 20 7001 9844. museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london. open daily 10am-6pm.

National portrait Gallery – here you’ll find portraits of centuries of well-known Brits, from kings and queens to celebrities and artists. St. Martin’s Place. npg.org.uk. +44 20 7306 0055. open daily 10am-6pm (until 9pm on Fridays).

Note: All these museums are free!

What to See and do in London: Day 3

Wander around Westminster – start off with a stroll through Hyde Park’s lush and expansive grounds, with its picturesque walkways, ponds, and ducks, before heading to Buckingham palace to view the changing of the guard at 10:45am. It lasts for about 45 minutes (arrive early to get the best view).

If you’re going to during the summer, Buckingham palace is open to the public (in 2018, the dates are July 21 to September 30.). Booking in advancement online is recommended. Tickets are £24.

Next, meander over to the Churchill war Rooms. located below the Treasury building in the Whitehall area of Westminster, this includes the government’s command center during WWII and a museum about the life of Winston Churchill. The centerpiece of the whole place is an interactive table that enables visitors to access digitized material from the Churchill archives. It is one of the best museums in London. book online in advancement to avoid the multi-hour wait! open 9:30am-7pm in July and August; 9:30am-6pm from September to June. Admission is £18.90 per person.

Afterward, marvel at Westminster Abbey and Parliament. You can see the tombs of 17 monarchs dating back to Henry III (who died in 1272) in the Abbey. other well-known people buried here include Charles Darwin, Sir Issac Newton, Aphra Behn, and Charles Dickens. Westminster Abbey costs £20 but you can visit for totally free if you go during a service. just be quiet. On Saturdays, you can trip Parliament. Tickets booked in advancement are £25.50; same-day tickets cost £28. trips start at 9am, with the last trip of the day being at 4:30pm.

Eat in Borough Market – After that, hop on the tube from Westminster to London Bridge (or walk along the South Bank) and head to the well-known Borough Market to get a meal from one of the numerous vendors. It’s hugely popular with locals, especially around lunchtime.

Wander South London – After you’ve satiated your hunger, wander around South London. See the site of the original globe Theater, visit the eerie Crossbones Cemetery that honors the working girls and lost souls of London, walk along the riverfront, marvel at Millennium Bridge, and pop into the Tate modern for a few hours to take in some of the best modern art London has to offer (it’s free). then head back toward Borough Market for a drink at the George Inn, one of London’s oldest pubs and where Charles Dickens used to drink (it’s also likely that William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe also drank here). The new globe theater is also here if you want to take in a Shakespearean play!

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What to See and do in London: Day 4

Hit up some much more museums – London is museum city. It has some of the best in the world, so I suggest you visit a few much more before you go:

Natural history museum – There are over 80 million items in this extensive museum, including specimens collected by Charles Darwin. It also has a great collection of fossils, making it a fun and educational stop if you’re traveling with kids. Cromwell Road, +44 20 7942 5000, nhm.ac.uk. open daily from 10am to 5:30pm.

Science museum – founded in 1857, this is actually one of the most popular museums in London, attracting over three million visitors each year. There are some really neatinteractive galleries on flight and space, and the short-term exhibitions are typically pretty amazing (though those often cost extra). exhibition Road, South Kensington, +44 20 7942 4000, sciencemuseum.org.uk. open daily from 10am to 6pm.

Victoria and Albert museum – named after Queen Victoria and prince Albert, this museum is home to over 2,000 works of art covering over 3,000 years of human history. Cromwell Road, +44 20 7942 2000, vam.ac.uk. open daily from 10am to 5:45pm (10pm on Fridays).

Eat on brick Lane – Head east to the well-known brick Lane and eat your heart out — it has some amazing Jewish delis (Beigel Bake is the most well-known — and delicious) and Indian cuisine. On the weekends, this street becomes a bustling flea market and a hub of activity when it fills with antique and flea market sellers, food vendors, and people eating and drinking their way down the street.

Take a Jack the Ripper trip – Every night, you’ll find tons of people in the east end learning about Jack the Ripper on a outrageous number of similar tours. My favorite is the original Jack the Ripper Tour. get Mick as your guide; he’s obsessed with Jack the Ripper (he even wrote a pretty good book on the subject) and will fill you with arcane knowledge. very animated too!

What to See and do in London: Day 5

Visit these art galleries – into art? Great! London is the ideal place to window-shop! here are some galleries worth checking out:

Maureen Paley – 21 Herald Street, +44 20 7729 4112, maureenpaley.com

Jealous – Shoreditch and Crouch End, jealousgallery.com

Unit – 3 Hanover Square, +44 20 7494 2035, theunitldn.com

Marian Goodman Gallery – 5-8 lower John Street, +44 20 7099 0088, mariangoodman.com

Explore the Tower of London and its crown jewels – built in 1070 by William the Conqueror to defend his royal power, the tower was expanded numerous times over the years. until the 1800s, weapons and armor were made here and all coins were made here until 1810. Now, it houses the well-known crown jewels. The Tower of London’s changing of the guard (the ceremony of the Keys) and takes place daily at 9:30pm. Tickets are totally free but book in advancement because it fills up quickly. Tickets to the Tower are £22.70 for adults and £10.75 for children. open Tues-Sat (9am-5:30pm), and Sun-Mon (10am-5:30pm).

Be sure to also head to nearby Tower Bridge, which opened in 1894 (and lot of people confuse with London Bridge). You can access the bridge deck to take in the view or check out the Tower Bridge Exhibition, where you can see the old Victorian engine rooms and get a sense of just how epic an engineering feat the bridge’s construction actually was. open daily 10am-5:30pm and costs £8.70 for adults.

Take in a show – London is my second favorite theater spot after new York City. You can’t leave without seeing a show. check out TKTS for discounted tickets for shows in the West End.

What to See and do in London: Days 6 or 7

Take a day trip to Stonehenge – Stonehenge, located in Salisbury, is one of the oldest man-made structures in the world (it dates back to 2500 BCE). You can’t method the stones anymore as they are now cordoned off, but it’s still quite a fascinating site to explore. The audio trip is a should so you can get some historical context.

Take a day trip to bath – bath is named after its well-known mineral baths. It is home to an ancient Roman bath that is marvelously well preserved (the audio guide by bill Bryson is a must). It’s pretty much the main attraction in town, though the church and river are also nice.

Take a day trip to Oxford – Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world and exploring all the beautiful colleges here makes for a fun day trip. many cost a few pounds sterling for a tour. You can even see the one where they filmed Harry Potter. In addition, you can visit the well-known Bodleian Library, wander the town’s historic center, and delight in some good food.

Take a day trip to Cambridge – Cambridge is similar to Oxford